Detention figures – According to the Israeli Prison Service (IPS), as of 30 November 2013, there were 4,785 Palestinians held in Israeli detention facilities including 173 children. In the case of children this represents a monthly increase of 8.8 percent and an annual increase of 3.1 percent compared with 2012. In a positive development, for the third month in a row no children below the age of 14 were recorded as being held in IPS detention facilities. According to the IPS, 51 percent of Palestinian children and 89 percent of adults continue to be detained in facilities inside Israel, in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Read more

 

UK lawyers’ report – 18 months on – A year-and-a-half after the publication of a report by a group of senior UK lawyers on the treatment of children in Israeli military detention (Children in Military Custody), MCW reviews progress made in implementing the report’s 40 recommendations. The review concludes that although there have been some positive developments during the past 18 months, over 87 percent of the recommendations remain unimplemented and no measures have been introduced to provide additional protection against ill-treatment during the critical first 24 hours following arrest. Accordingly, ill-treatment in the system continues to be widespread, systematic and institutionalised. Read more

 

Testimony – On 14 November 2013, a 13-year-old boy from Burin, in the West Bank, was arrested by Israeli soldiers following clashes with settlers. “At around 2:00 p.m., on 14 November 2013, I came home from school and was going to turn my computer on when I looked out the window and saw a group of about 12 settlers in the village. Some young men had gathered to drive them away and I went out to have a closer look. The minute I got there soldiers arrived and turned the settlers back. Then they chased the young men from the village and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at us. Read more

UN makes recommendations on child detainees – In November, the UN made a number of recommendations relating to the treatment of children held in Israeli military detention under the Universal Periodic Review process. Following an interactive dialogue with Member States, a number of specific recommendations were made relating to the inequality of treatment under Israel’s military and civilian legal systems; the continued use of night arrests; the use of restraints and strip searches; solitary confinement; denial of legal representation and access to family members; children signing confessions in Hebrew; and the audio-visual recording of all interrogations involving minors. Read more

 

News – Political – UK MP condemns the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention following a visit to Ofer military court. “How can you ask a young juvenile to sign a confession, or a statement … in a language they don’t understand and tell me that is acceptable” said the Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna. Read more

 

Media – The Independent – “Israel government 'tortures’ Palestinian children by keeping them in cages, human rights group says”: An Israeli human rights organisation has accused the government of torturing Palestinian children after it emerged some were kept in outdoor cages during winter. Read more

 

Media – Haaretz – “For first time, Israeli military court acquits Palestinians of stone throwing”: The military court at Ofer army base has acquitted, for the first time, Palestinians charged with throwing rocks at a settler. The three Palestinians charged were found not guilty recently because police did not summon to court the settler in question, who was said to have thrown stones himself during the clash. The presiding judge stated that under the circumstances, a ruling against the defendants would be discriminatory. Read more

 

Media – Al Jazeera – “Israel raids on West Bank homes condemned”: Human rights groups have reported a rise in Israeli military training exercises being held in Palestinian towns and villages. Israel was condemned by the groups on Thursday, after reports of soldiers taking up positions in Palestinians homes during mock raids in the occupied West Bank and Palestinians being detained for hours without explanation. Read more